Stock Market = Gambling?

[proactive]

Land prices and property prices can go down especially if there has been a long run on property prices bacause of low interest rates. Although historically prices always recover and if one can survive a downturn or high interest rates then in the long run you can't lose. The same is true of the stock market overall but not individual shares though. The only difference is that the stock market is more volatile unlike the property market.

[sall]

Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa Waheguru Ji Ke Fateh

Guys, I 'm a trader and trade a whole host of financial instruments such as equities, futures,grains and work for major financial institution , hence my reason for jumping on this debate. I must stress that Japmans and smartsingh24 make excellent comments not just because I agree with them but they adhere to teachings from SGGS. All of of our Guru Sahiban did kirat kamai, Guru Nanak dev Ji did a bit of everything, business as well as working on the farms.The importance here is of the word kirat kamai, when I pick up my trade there is homework of about 3 hours going into it sometime even 3 days or 3 months as I trade in mutiple timeframes. Let me give you another insight this to get where I am at present has taken over 4.5 years and the ride is very tough. The psychology involved is immense as it's very easy to take the gambling mentality and think you can make a quick buck in this game. This game can bury you underground for good if you have this mentality.The biggest factors to control are EGO, FEAR, GREED,ANGER , DISCIPLINE in every trade. Aren't these the same things Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji talks about over and over again. Trading is gambling if YOU want it to be and I can gurantee if that's your take you will not last in this game, and as mentioned before if that's your take in life and what revolves around you in life will also be deadly.

[Heera Singh]

How are u guys comparing investment with stocks? When u buy bonds or stocks its a gamble because the price change all the time. My example for investment, when u invest in land the price will will not drop that not consider gambling becasue u know the price will increase and its not a gamble.

Am i Right?

at the end of the day, aren't you hoping for the land price to increase so dat when u sell it u can have a nice capital gain? cah there's no other reason to buy land unless ur gonna sell it or use it... and if u use it, ur still gonna make $$ off it, otherwise there's no reason to buy it...

same wit a house... u buy a house dat u live in for x # of years.. when u decide to sell it, ur gonna waan sell it for more den wha u paid for it.. i's da same difference wit stocks..

at least with buying stocks/bonds ur also helpin companies start up or help da gov't or other corporations wit spending...

wha u dun seem to understand, is dat this is wha SPURS and DRIVES da economy.. economists will tell you, "The market of trading debt and securities is the 'Engine' of the Canadian Economy"... without buyin/sellin of securities/funds etc..., we wud'n enjoy the standard of livin n da type of lifestyle we enjoy, (and take for granted) here in Canada and the USA (and for any developed country for dat matter)

at da same time... da (hard earned money) dat u make from workin, is gonna make some extra $$ for you... which can help u in da long run.. whether the money be used for urself, ur kids education, ur family, etc.. etc..

da difference between da stock market n poker.. is one is a game and one isn't.. and as veerji mentioned above, it becomes a gamble when greed and ego n wha not get involved..

also, there's things u can buy wit basiclly 0 risk (i.e. money market, t-bills, GIC's etc..) ... so for those, ur guaranteed for extra income..

anywayz.. we all have our own opinion.. bottom line, if some of u feel i's wrong, then simply jus don't do it... some of us feel its okay, so we do.... but tha's all our own opinions...

Chardi Kalaa!!

Vaheguru Jee Ka Khalsa, Vaheguru Jee Kee Fateh!!

[B4ND4]

Enough has been said on this topic but a question still remains unanswered. This is for the people who invest in stocks.."Where do they get the money from to invest in stocks?" . Please do answer.

[Heera Singh]

could be from a variety of sources... working for it... money from parents... money from selling another asset... funds from other securities (i.e. interest/dividends re-invested)... and so on and son on..

[B4ND4]

could be from a variety of sources... working for it... money from parents... money from selling another asset... funds from other securities (i.e. interest/dividends re-invested)... and so on and son on..

Okay. What is the purpose of investing in stocks? What exactly is it that drives a person to put money in stocks?

[B4ND4]

could be from a variety of sources... working for it... money from parents... money from selling another asset... funds from other securities (i.e. interest/dividends re-invested)... and so on and son on..

1. working for it --- Fine

2. money from parents --- For fulfilling our basic needs when we are young.

3. money from selling another asset --- Why do be have assets?

4. funds from other securities (i.e. interest/dividends re-invested) --- If one needs money he/she should use this money and if he really doesn't need money it should be used for helping the needy.

[Heera Singh]

okay...

#2. Making money with money that we currently have is not a wrong thing.. say for example u need extra money for ur kids education, would u say i's wrong to invest in an RESP? parents can give u money for whatever reason.. bday presents... wedding presents... usually a weddin present can be a large amount.. ur not gonna keep da cash on u... so u can put it into some sort of investment to make money on ur money..

#3. Do you or somebody you know not own a car/house/electronics/jewellery/other valuables? why wouldn't a person own any assets?

#4. I dun really understand what you're trying to say here... but i'll take a crack at it... yes.. we should all give to the needy... buh i'm sure even yourself, you dun give every extra dollar to da needy... givin dasvand doesn't really have netin to do wit investing (in my opinion).. because people invest for several diff reasons... not to say dasvand ISN'T important, cah it IS very important..

u can use compound interest to maximize ur return so dat u can give MORE to the needy if netin..

yes, investing CAN lead to greed.. but i's nah da case for everybody... some people need da extra money to pay off debts, put their kids through school, extra income so they can attend samagams, help pay for an elderly parent... and da list goes on n on n on...

jus because one person does or does not use it for ne of those reasons, should not indicate da mentality of everybody...

as said.. if u dun waan do it... then don't...

Vaheguru!!

[B4ND4]

I have seen families go bankrupt because of these stocks, hence the concern. I am not here to convice people about not getting into share market. Its your money do whatever you want with it but be careful. There are more important things for a sikh then making money by investing in stocks. You have talked about doing thorough research, these researches definitely take time. My mama is on the computer 24/7 because of these stocks and he has a stable job. I wonder how a gursikh manages to do bhagti and this research. We spend all our life worrying about the meagre issues, i can't see a normal person doing bhagti with full concentration and not thinking about the stock prices.These stock markets sure do play with a persons mind and i have yet to meet a mahapursh who was involved in share market.

Regarding dasvand.. i know families that keep the amount just sufficient for em and donate the rest. I would prefer to be like them than invest in stocks. Again thats just me.

I am pretty sure if a person has a stable job he/she can take care of his/her kids without getting into stocks.

Bhula Chuka Maaf

Gur Fateh!

Tuk posted by Bass Singh, i guess it is very apt.

kudham karae pas pa(n)kheeaa dhisai naahee kaal ||

The animals and the birds frolic and play-they do not see death.

outhai saathh manukh hai faathhaa maaeiaa jaal ||

Mankind is also with them, trapped in the net of Maya.

mukathae saeee bhaaleeahi j sachaa naam samaal ||2||

Those who always remember the Naam, the Name of the Lord, are considered to be liberated. ||2||

[smartsingh24]

I have seen families go bankrupt because of these stocks, hence the concern. I am not here to convice people about not getting into share market. Its your money do whatever you want with it but be careful. There are more important things for a sikh then making money by investing in stocks. You have talked about doing thorough research, these researches definitely take time. My mama is on the computer 24/7 because of these stocks and he has a stable job. I wonder how a gursikh manages to do bhagti and this research. We spend all our life worrying about the meagre issues, i can't see a normal person doing bhagti with full concentration and not thinking about the stock prices.These stock markets sure do play with a persons mind and i have yet to meet a mahapursh who was involved in share market.

Regarding dasvand.. i know families that keep the amount just sufficient for em and donate the rest. I would prefer to be like them than invest in stocks. Again thats just me.

I am pretty sure if a person has a stable job he/she can take care of his/her kids without getting into stocks.

Bhula Chuka Maaf

Gur Fateh!

Tuk posted by Bass Singh, i guess it is very apt.

kudham karae pas pa(n)kheeaa dhisai naahee kaal ||

The animals and the birds frolic and play-they do not see death.

outhai saathh manukh hai faathhaa maaeiaa jaal ||

Mankind is also with them, trapped in the net of Maya.

mukathae saeee bhaaleeahi j sachaa naam samaal ||2||

Those who always remember the Naam, the Name of the Lord, are considered to be liberated. ||2||

Here's the thing though, when you invest in stocks so much that it starts interfering with your life, then it's gambling. There is a line, and it cannot be crossed, otherwise there are disastrous consequences or amazing rewards. More often than not, it is the former. Let me posit an example: One guy invests some of his money into stocks and is planning on buying a house. However, the stocks he bought go bad, so he can't buy the house. However, the lost money hasn't affected his lifestyle. He can't buy the house he wanted to, but he doesn't lose the house he's in. This is not gambling, this is just a bad investment. Another person however, invests his life savings into these same stocks. When the stocks go bad, he has lost everything and can't afford to continue to live in his own house. This is a gamble, and it payed off disastrously. Investments are made to better your life without interfering with it.